Aqueduct: Seniors Pride outfights Spa City Fever in Bryan G

Sunday’s Bryan G Stakes at Aqueduct may have lost its marquee name when I Want Revenge was scratched at the gate, but it did not lose its competitiveness.

Seniors Pride and Spa City Fever were inseparable from the three-furlong pole to the wire with Seniors Pride prevailing by a head in the $71,250 Bryan G over Aqueduct’s inner track. Spa City Fever finished one length in front of Goombada Guska. Linebacker was last.

The Bryan G looked like a winnable spot for the 2009 Wood Memorial winner I Want Revenge. But he was scratched at the gate by the track veterinarian after jockey Alan Garcia didn’t like the way the colt was breathing, according to part-owner Michael Iavarone.

With I Want Revenge out, Seniors Pride was elevated to 3-4 favoritism under Cornelio Velasquez. Breaking from the rail, Seniors Pride took the lead, but Spa City Fever, under Junior Alvarado, was never more than three-quarters of a length behind through an opening quarter of 24.35 seconds. The two were virtually attached at the hip at the three-furlong pole, but Seniors Pride, under right-handed urging from Velasquez, prevailed narrowly through the lane. Seniors Pride, a 6-year-old gelded son of Sweetsouthernsaint, covered the mile in 1:38.70 and returned $3.50.

It was the second win from three starts for Seniors Pride since being claimed by Mike Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher last October. Overall, Seniors Pride is now 8 for 35.

Spa City Fever was making his first start since being purchased privately by a group headed by speed figure guru Jerry Brown and turned over to Mike Hushion.

The future for I Want Revenge, trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., is a bit unclear. The horse has not won a race in almost three years and he has only run six times since winning the Wood in April 2009.

Meanwhile, in what is becoming an all too familiar scene at Aqueduct, two horses were vanned off following races on Sunday’s card. Fortunately, neither horse suffered what was described as a life-threatening injury.

Inner Compass, who was bet down to 3-5 favoritism in the second, was pulled up three furlongs into the race with what New York Racing Association vets said was a grabbed quarter after stepping on himself.

Later on the card, Stormrageous, a 4-year-old first-time starter debuting for a $12,500 claiming price, was vanned off due to a bowed tendon, one that she had apparently bowed before, which delayed her making it to the races.